Gymnastic apparatus.



No. @49,9% Patenad` May 22; 1900. G. E. DELMURE & 0. W.V LEE.

GYMNASTIC APPARATUS. (Application med my 14, 189s. Renewed Mar. 11,1899.)

(No Model.)

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GFORGF. F.. DFLMORFJ, OF TIPTON, lOl/VA, AND (HIVER lV. LEF., OFGAINFS'- viLLn,

GYMNASTIC SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters TEXAS.

APPARATUS.

Patent No. 649,914, dated May 22, tooo.

To all whom, ntf/,Lf concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORG-n E. Dannonn, residing at Tipton, in thecounty of Cedar and State of Iowa, and OLIVER W. LEE, residing atGainesville, in the county of Cooke and State of Texas, citizens of theUnited States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGymnastic Apparatus; and we do hereby declare the followingto be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to an improvement in aerial revolving ladders forgym nastic purposes for use in theaters, circus-tents, tbc., and has forits objects to provide an aerial ladder composed of two sectionsjournaled near their inner ends in elevated bearings supported by ropesand having at the outer ends ot each section a trapeze and swingingrings affixed thereto for the performance of gymnastic feats, and alsoto provide means for disengaging said ladders, while gymnastic feats arebein gperform ed thereon, with safety to the performers. lVe attainthese objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l represents a perspective View of our aerialrevolving ladder constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2represents a side elevation of the breaking portion of the same. Fig. 3represents a cross-section of the journaled portion of the device. Fig.#t is a perspective view of the lever and cam. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of a portion of the slot-bearing' of one side of the ladder.Fig. G is aside elevation ofthe journal for the trapeze-shaft, and Fig.7 a longitudinal section of the same.

In said drawings, A and A represent ladders, constructed of any suitablematerial, preferably metal, having the ordinary rounds or steps a.Between the first and second round or step of the outer extreme end ofladder A there is suspended a trapeZe-shat't B, and between the firstand second round or step of the outer extreme end of the ladder A thereare suspended two swinging rings BC Said rings and trapeze may besecured to the ladder in any well-known manner, preferably by means ofhooks and eyes ot' the usual con: struction.

The standards b and b of the ladder A have offsets Zand hontheirinnersides,from which project tongues d, that engage with grooves Din the ends of standards c and c, while standards c and c have o'ltsetson their outer sides provided with tongues d for engagement with groovesD' in the ends of standards b and b', which hold the ladders in ahorizontal position. Standards b b c c are journaled on a tube H, saidtubing having brass journalbearings L set therein for the purpose offacilitating easy revolution on trapeze-shaft G. Standards b and b' areprovided with slots g for the free passage of the tube H. Above slot gand adjacentto the u pper edges of standards ZJ and b' there is a pin F,projecting outwardly, of su'llicient length to move in a slot e in theeccentric E for the purpose of disengaging the two ladders, the wholebeing held in position by a collar f, which in turn is held securely inplace by a set-screwj". This collarfprevents any sidewise movement ofthe apparatus on trapeze-shaft Gr. The tube Il has an L-'shaped lever Jaffixed thereto about midway of its length for the purpose ofdisengaging the' ladders. Afiixed to the upper end of said lever J thereis a spiral spring j, whose opposite end is secured to the iirstround dof ladderA nearest the tubing H for the purpose of more securely holdingthe two ladders into engagement with each others tongues and grooves byforcing eccentric E around and pressing against the pin F in slot e, andthereby pressing forward standards h and b into engagement withstandards c and c'. Sccured to the lower end of lever J is a cord orrope j for the purpose otl disengaging ladders A and A. By pulling onrope j eccentric E is revolved, thereby pulling on pin F of standards l)and b', which necessarily forces back standards Z) and U, which areslotted at g and move on tubing H, thus releasing the ladders, whichfall to the position occupied in Fig. 2.

N and N are spiral springs for the purpose ot' preventing too much jarto the apparatus when the two are disengaged. The springs N are securedto the tirst round or step a2 of ladder A, pass across the top ofstandards c and c', and then secured to the outside of grooved end D' ofstandards h and b'. Springs N are secured to the first round a' ofladder A and to grooved ends ot standards c and c.

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M represents bumpers secured to the under side of standards b b' c c' toprevent the two ladders A and A' from coming together after they havebeen disengaged, thereby injuring some part of the apparatus or theperformers thereon.

O represents the supporting-ropes for the trapeze, which are illuminatedby incandescent electric lights o. The lower ends of these ropes arewrapped around their ball-bearing journals K, which journals K are inturn secured to trapeze-shaft G. At the upper ends of rope O there is ashaft P, which is held rigidly in position by guy-ropesp, secured tosaid shaft in any well-known manner. They are also supplied withelectric lights.

Q represents the supporting-ropes for the entire apparatus, secured tothe ceiling or any convenient place in any well-known manner.

Having now fully described our invention, we claimv l. As a gymnasticapparatus, a revolving ladder formed of two sections journaled upon aswinging trapeze-shaft and having means for disengaging the sections ata predetermined moment.

2. As a gymnastic apparatus, a revolving ladder consisting of two halvesjournaled upon a swinging trapeze-shaft, means for bringing said halvescoincident thereby forming a compound ladder, and means for disengagingsaid halves and causing them to suddenly drop suspended from said shaft.

3. In a gymnastic apparatus, a revolving ladder comprising twointerlocking laddersections journaled upon a central supportingshaft andeccentric means for disengaging said sections at a predetermined moment.

4:. In a gymnastic apparatus, a revolving ladder comprising twoladder-sections normally united endwise by tongues and grooves, asupporting-shaft upon which said sections arejournaled, and eccentricmeans for releasing said sections.

5. A gymnastic apparatus comprising two ladder-sections united end toend to temporarily form a single ladder and journaled upon a swingingtrapeze-shaft, an operating means for engaging and disengaging saidladdersections, and interposed elastic devices Vto break the fall ofsaid ladder-sections when disengaged.

6. In a gymnastic apparatus, a revolving ladder having a slidingladder-section and an auxiliary section normally united by tongues andgrooves, a supporting-shaft upon which said ladder is journaled, aneccentric for engaging and disengaging said sliding section, andinterposed springs, substantially as described.

7. In a gymnastic apparatus, a revolving ladder comprising twoladder-sections, one of which is slotted, normally united by tongues andgrooves, a supporting-shaft upon which said sections are journaled, aneccentric for en gagin g'and disengaging said sections while gymnasticfeats are being performed thereon, and interposed springs adapted andarranged to break the fall of said ladder-sections, substantially asdescribed.

8. The combination of a revolving ladder having a slidingladder-section, and an auxiliary laddersection normally united bytongues and grooves, a supporting-shaft, a tube sleeved upon said shaftupon'which said ladder is journaled, an operating-lever, an eccentricconnected with the sliding laddersection to bring the same into or outof engagement with the other section, and inter-l posed springs adaptedand arranged to break the fall of said ladder-sections, substantially asdescribed.

9. A revoluble swinging trapeze ladder, composed of a slidingladder-section and an auxiliary ladder-section normally united bytongues and grooves in the standards of said ladder-sections, thesupportingshaft upon which saidl ladders are journaled, provided withball-bearings, and eccentric means for engaging and disengaging saidladder-sections, substantially as described.

l0. ln a gymnastic apparatus, an aerial revolving ladder, comprising asliding laddersection and an auxiliary ladder-section nor'- mally unitedby tongues and grooves in the standards of said ladder-sections, aswinging trapeze shaft, mounted in ball bearings, a tube sleeved uponsaid shaft, upon which said ladder is journaled, an eccentric connectedwith the sliding ladder section to bring the same into or out ofengagement with the other section, a lever, rigid on said tube,adaptedto be operatedfrom one end of said ladder to actuate the eccentric,springs interposed between said sections, and trapeze and rings carriedon either ladder-section for the performance of gymnastic feats, allsubstantially as described.

11. In a gymnastic apparatus, an aerial revolving ladder comprising asliding laddersection and an auxiliary ladder-section normally united bytongues and grooves in the standards of said ladder-sections, a swingingtrapeze-shaft, ball-bearings for the same, a tube sleeved upon saidshaft, an eccentric, having a slot, rigid on said tube, a pin in saidsliding ladder-section adapted to engage said slot, a lever normallyunder tension rigidly mounted upon said tube, an operating connectionbetween said lever and one of the laddersections, springs uniting saidsections, and bumpers to prevent said ladders coming together whendisconnected.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE E. DELMORE. OLIVER WV. LEE. v

Witnesses:

' WALLACE MURDooK,

DAVID L. Grrr.

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